Artificial honeycomb and the art of making the same



APPLICATION. FILED OCT. 23, I919.

Patented Nov. 30,1920.

InvcflTo A GEORGEI T. P'IAcD on ALD WITIIE'SSES BY W WA ATTORIjIZYUNITED STATES GEORGE M. MACDONALD, .015 SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA.

ARTIFICIAL IIONEYGOMB AND THE ART OF MAKING THE SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Noy, 30 1920.

Application filed October 23, 1919. Serial No. 332,849.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen M. MACDON- ALD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at San Bernardino, in the county of San Bernardino andState of California, have invented new and useful Improvements inArtificial Honeycombs and the Artof Making the Same, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in artificial honeycombs beingmore particularly an improvement upon, and in the art of making the typeof honeycomb disclosed by my previous Patent No. 1,224,479, issued May1, 1917. 1

This type of honeycomb iscomposed of a plurality of superimposed thinmetallic strips, each being crimped to form a .series of transversegrooves alternately arranged upon opposite sides of the-strip andextending outwardly from each side of the longitudinal center thereof.Each of these grooves forms a semi-cell which is open at its outer endand practically closed at its inner end and when the strips aresuperimposed the semi-cells of one strip register with those of theadjacent strips to form complete cells open at their outer endsandpractically closed attheir inner .ends.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a method and form'ofconstruction whereby the various component elements may be mostcheaply constructed and quickly and rigidly assembled. It also providesall of the advantages pointed out in the above mentioned previouspatent, viz., an indestructible honeycomb which may be used a great manytimes, one from which the honey may beeasily extracted by centrifugal orother means and which may be easily and thoroughly cleaned andsterilized, which is especially desirable in case it becomes infested ordiseased as sometimes hapens. p The device is further provided withothernovel and advantageous features of construction and arrangement as willbehereinafter more fully described and particu larly pointed out in theclaims.

Other objects, advantages and features-of invention may appear from theaccompany ing drawings, the subjoined detailed description and theappended claims.

' Theaccompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure l is a side elevation of a honeycomb .embodying llihlS inventionwith parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective of a portion of the crimped metallicribbon which forms the cells.

.Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective .of the saidcrimped ribbon bent uponitselfto form substantially two superimposed strips, the semi-cells ofeach respective strip registering with each other to formcomplete cells.

Fig. 4 1s a transverse section on line ar ifact, F 1g. 3 showing moreparticularly the burs and binding rod. v

1 represents the frame, rectangular in shape and preferably made ofwood, pro- 16Ctillg :lugs v2 being provided at its upper end by which itissupported in the beehive. .3 represents the metallic strips, aplurality of which being crimped and superimposed and mounted within theframe form the cells that constitute the honeycomb. The strips 3,preferably made of very thin sheet aluminum or like metal are formedintegrally of a continuous ribbonof such metal, the strips being joinedone to the otherend to .endby fiat uncrimped bent portions .4 of themetal.

Each strip isv crimped to .-form. tr,a-nsvcrse grooves 5 alternatelydisposed :uponopposite sides of the strip andalternately arranged uponopposite sides of thelongitudi-nal axis thereof. Each groove so.formedconstitutes a semi-cell, preferably semi-hexagonal in shape,beingwopen at theends at the edgcsof the .strips and practically .closedat their bottom at the center of the stripsiby the'wall 6 formedofthemetal of the strips.

The strips are superimposed within the frame by fold ng-the ribbon atthe .middles of the blank spaces 4 andextendingthe strips one upon theother from. edge to edge of .the frame and when so superimposed thesemicells of the strips respectively register with those of adjacentstrips 1 and form complete hexagonal cells open at theedges ofthe-strips and practically closed at the center of the strips.

The-stripsare held inproper relative position and retained within theframe by wires i 7 which extend through holes.8 in .the strips and alsothrough holes 8, 8 in the bottom and top members of :the frame, the-.ends7',

7 of the wires being bent into recesses ,9,

9 vin-the frame to hold said wires in place.

The holes 8 are preferablv punched in the strips at the time they arecrimped and are similarly located in each strip relative to its ends andgrooves so that when they are caused to register in arranging thestrips, the semi-cells will also accurately register with each other.

The holes 8 for each strip are punched from the side of ribbon oppositethat from which the holes for the adjoining strips are punched. This isdone before the ribbon is folded to form the superimposed strips so thatthe burs 10 formed by punching the holes will extend from opposite sidesof successive strips respectively before the ribbon is folded; and afterthe ribbon is folded and the strips are superimposed upon each othersaid burs will all extend in the same directions from edge to edge ofthe body formed by the folded ribbon. This arrangement will allow theend 7 of the rod '7, before said end is bent over to be easily passedthrough the holes without being caught up on the burs; after which theend is bent as shown.

It will be seen that the metallic strips can be rapidly formed of acontinuous metallic ribbon by passing it between die rollers or likemeans which will crimp and punch it as heretofore described. The woodenframes are cheaply constructed and the strips may be quickly folded atthe blank portions 4 and placed in superimposed relation in the frame,the semi-cells being accurately registered by passing the wires throughthe holes 8, the rods also binding the superimposed strips together andholding them in the frame.

A sufiicient number of the strips will be placed in each frame tocompletely fill the space between the top and bottom members thereofbeing thus pressed and held in close contact and not requiring any otherjoinin means.

lhe honeycomb thus formed is dipped into melted wax which forms acoating on the walls of the cells and it is then hung by its projectinglu s 2 in the bee hive to be filled with honey by the bees, after whichthe honey may be removed by centrifugal or other means, and other waxcoating applied and the honeycomb replaced in the hive to be filledagain.

I claim.

1. An artificial honeycomb comprising a plurality of strips havinggrooves therein said strips being integrally formed end to end andadapted to be folded to assume superimposed positions relative to eachother, the said grooves to register with similar grooves in adjacentstrips to form complete cells.

2. An artificial honeycomb comprising a plurality of strips formed of acontinuous ribbon of sheet material and crimped to form transversegrooves and uncrimped portions of the material between each two crimpedstrips to be folded to allow the strips to assume superimposed positionsrelative to each other and said grooves to register with similar groovesin adjacent strips to form cells.

3. An artificial honeycomb comprising a plurality of strips formedintegrally of a continuous ribbon of sheet material and cimped to formtransverse grooves alternately disposed on opposite sides of the stripsand alternately extending from each side of'the longitudinal center ofthe strip, said grooves being open at the edges of the strips andpractically closed at the center thereof and uncrimped portions of thematerial between and joining each two strips and adapted to be folded topermit the strips to assume superimposed positions relative to eachother and the grooves to register with similar grooves in adjacentstrips to form complete cells.

4. An artificial honeycomb comprising a frame; a plurality of stripsformed integrally end to end of a continuous ribbon of sheet materialand adapted to be folded to permit the strips to assume superimposedpositions relative to each other, said strips having grooves to registerwith similar grooves in adjacent strips to form cells and means forretaining said strips in closely related superimposed position in saidframe.

5. An artificial honeycomb comprising a plurality of strips formedintegrally end to end of a continuous ribbon of sheet material andadapted to be folded to assume superimposed positions relative to eachother, said strips having grooves to register with similar grooves inadjacent strips to form cells, said strips also having holes locatedsimilarly in each strip relative to its ends and grooves, and rodsextending through said holes to bind the strips in superimposed relationand to register the grooves.

6. An artificial honeycomb comprising a frame, a plurality of stripsintegrally formed end to end and adapted to be folded to assumesuperimposed positions relative to each other, said strips havinggrooves to register with similar grooves in adjacent strips to formcells and said strips also having holes located similarly in each striprelative to its ends and grooves, and wires extending through holes insaid frame and through the holes in the strips to hold the strips insuperimposed relation in the frame and register the grooves with eachother.

7. An artificial honeycomb comprisin a plurality of strips integrallyformed end to end and adapted to be folded at the juncture between theirends to assume superimposed positions relative to each other, saidstrips having grooves to register with similar grooves in adjacentstrips to form cells and said strips also having holes located similarlyin each strip relative to its ends and grooves the burs formed bypunching said holes occurring alternately on opposite sides of eachsuccessive strip before the strips are folded and all extending in onedirection when the strips are folded and superimposed, and wiresextending through said holes to bind the strips in superimposed relation and to register the grooves with each other. i

S. An artificial honeycomb comprising a frame, a plurality of elongatedstrips integrally formed end to end of sheet material and crimped toform transverse grooves alternately disposed upon opposite sides of thestrips and alternately extending from opposite sides of the longitudinalcenter being open at the edges of the strips and practically closed atthe center thereof, said strips also having holes similarly located ineach strip relative to its ends and grooves and the burs formed bypunching said holes occurring alternately on opposite sides of eachsuccessive strip before the same are folded and all extending in onedirection after the strips are folded and superimposed, uncrimpedportions between each two strips to be folded to permit the strips toassume superimposed positions relative to each other and the grooves toregister with similar grooves in adjacent strips to.

form cells and wires extending through holes in the frame and throughthe holes'in the strips to hold the strips in superimposed relation inthe frame and to register the grooves with each other.

9. The method set forth of making metallic honeycomb which consists incrimping a metallic ribbon to form a series of semicell crimps inpredetermined lengths with blank spaces between said series thenpunching the crimped spaces alternately, one series being punched in onedirection and the next series in the other direction, so that the bursformed by the punch will be reversely arranged upon the successivestrips; then folding the ribbon upon itself to bring the holes intoregister with each other, with the burs all in one direction and theninserting wires through said holes in the direction of: the burs andsecuring said strips in a frame by means of said wires.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Bernardino,California, thls 17th day of October 1919.

Witness:

JAMES R. TOWNSEND.

